*disclaimer -- I am in no way a Biblical scholar :) I just write what I glean from the scriptures...it might not be 'correct', but I believe the Holy Spirit teaches us what we need to know/learn everytime we open His word...
What Would Have Been?
Isaiah 48:17-18
Isaiah 48:17-18
By:
Serena Kleppinger
I have stumbled upon these verses in Isaiah before, they
struck me, but I don’t think I ever really paid attention to them. Then, recently, as I was reading a devotional
I came across these verses again. This
time, they spoke to my very soul. My
first thought was, “How did I miss this?”
These verses are short, but filled with both promise and warning. Isaiah 48:17-18 says:
17-18 This
is what the Lord says—your
Redeemer, the
Holy One of
Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you,
who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river,
your well-being like the waves of the sea.
WOW! Let’s look at
the promise first. God, the creator of
the universe is promising to teach me what is best for me and direct me in the
way I should go!! WOW! Why would I ever wonder what I’m supposed to
do with my life? If I am connected to
God, spending time in prayer, reading His word, and truly seeking after Him, HE
will guide me in the way I should go! So
often we just sit still, waiting for God to answer or waiting for God to show
up in some miraculous way. I don’t think
that’s what the verse is saying because God uses the word ‘teach.’ Teach implies that we are sitting under His
feet LEARNING from Him! If we are not
submitting ourselves to His teaching how will we ever learn which way to
go? So, we humble ourselves and allow
Him to teach us and show us which way to go…well, what if we don’t?? This verse also has a warning.
When I read verse 18 I was broken in my spirit. It hit me like a ton of bricks – like God was
trying to knock some sense into me.
Verse 18 gives exactly what will happen when we do not follow God’s
commands – what we will miss out on.
‘Your peace WOULD HAVE BEEN like a river, your well-being like the waves
of the sea!’ YIKES!! I don’t like the words ‘would have
been.’ How many times do we cry out for
peace, but have we been following God’s directions?? If we are, then peace is like a river…if not,
we miss out! I can’t begin to tell you
how many times I’ve heard people say they want to know God’s will and follow
it, but they are afraid of what He might ask of them…this verse says if you
don’t follow, there is no peace! It is a sobering reminder that God promises
peace – it is His gift to us, but we have to be willing to follow.
What is holding you
back from truly following God? What do
you need to let go of so you CAN follow – job, family, money?? What are you allowing first place in your
life and in turn is stealing your peace??
Let it go! Give it over! Let God have all of you – everything about
you – and watch your peace flow like a river!
Don’t let ‘would have been’ be part of your life!
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